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Revision questions – Plant and animal behaviour
Responses
1. Sketch a picture of each of the following responses
Negative thermotaxic response
Positive hydrotaxic response
Positive chemotaxic response
Negative thigmotaxic response
2. Planaria (flatworms) are negatively phototaxic. What does this term
mean? Explain the benefit in having this orientation response.
3. Nastic movements can be due to the plant cells changing in turgor
pressure. What is meant by turgor pressure?
4. Many flowers show photonasty. Explain the benefit to the plant of
exhibiting this response.
5. Define kinesis.
6. Define tropism.
7. Describe the action of auxin on cells.
8. What methods of navigation are often used by: Birds, Insects, Fish?
9. Explain the benefit and cost of migration.
10. What is homing and how do bees, ants or pigeons do it?
Timing
1. Most plants and animals possess innate periodicities that are
synchronised with the daily, lunar and seasonal changes that take place in
their natural environments. Discuss the possible selective advantages
gained by this synchronisation.
2. Why is it hard for biologists to decide if a rhythm is circa-annual?
3. Sunflowers are heliotropic and continually face the sun. What might the
selective advantage of this be?
4. Discuss how the pigment phytochrome mediates plant growth and
development.
5. Why is it necessary that a biological clock is not too disturbed by changing
temperature?
6. What is meant by the term zeitgeber?
7. Explain why nocturnal behaviour benefits desert species.
8. What is meant by diurnal behaviour?
9. Toads come out to eat just after dusk. What is the environmental factor
initiating this behaviour and why is it a good time for an insectivore to be
active?
10. In England it was noted that a species of night-flying insect did not fly
much when the moon was full. What does this tell you about the reasons
the species is nocturnal?
Interspecific- relationships
1. As bellbirds increase their foraging efficacy, they visit almost exclusively
green flowers. How do both species benefit from this behaviour?
2. What is a mimic?
3. How might the coloration of leopards and other spotted cats help them be
successful predators?
4. What is a parasite?
5. The cuckoo lays its eggs in the warblers nest. What is the term given to
this relationship?
6. How can a biological clock that results in mass emergence of insects such
as dragonflies reduce predation?
7. Explain why competition may be one of the most important factors
influencing the timing of circadian rhythms.
8. What is the term given to a relationship where one species benefits and
one is unaffected?
9. What is commensalism?
10. How do animals best go about the following antipredatory behaviours:
Avoiding detection; avoiding attack; avoiding capture; avoiding
competition.
Reproductive behaviour
1. What is it called when the male and female look very different from each
other?
2. Why is it usually the female that invests most time into rearing the young in
the animal kingdom?
3. Why do the lions that have just taken over a pride kill the young lions in the
pride?
4. What are some benefits of courtship?
5. What is the purpose of a pair bond?
6. What is a pheromone?
7. Explain the advantage of polyandry?
Territories and hierachies
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
What is a pecking order and what are the advantages?
At what time of the year are animals more territorial?
What might become of an animal without a territory?
What is meant by a dominance hierarchy?
What is the term given to the animal at the top of a hierarchy?
How is a hierarchy maintained and how does it limit violence?
What is the relationship between a territory, a home range and a nesting
site?
Relationships
1. What is the relationship between kin selection and altruistic behaviour?
2. Why is there more calling to alert about predators when there are relatives
around than non-relatives?
3. Most animals when competing with their rivals exchange threats. What
sort of signals could be classed as a threat?
4. Discuss methods of increasing the survival of the young of prey animals
such as antelopes, rabbits, and wildebeest.